We've never been ones to shy away from pastry, but we've just found some of the most lovely pastry, bound to make one re-consider eating the gorgeous thing. We're talking about the work of Ayako Kurokawa, a Brooklyn based patissier, who has earned her stripes at Modern at MoMA and the Plaza Hotel.
With her creative flair, she's turned pastry into art (just how we like it). Cookies become are portraits of people from the subway, biscuits into drawings of hands young and old, loaves of bread braid themselves into fashionable hats, and whimsical lip cookies beg to touch our lips. The only trouble is, how to eat such beautiful masterpieces??!?!
Some of our favorites:
Butter Sandwich Cookies with Rum Raisins
Dog Cake
Portrait Cookies
Bread Hat
Hand Cookies
Flamingo Biscuits
Chouquette
Ms Kuroiwa also makes traditional cakes and pastry, which are lovely and lust worthy. Order one here.
Dearest readers, we would like to share a little secret of ours with you, one of our favorite restaurants in all of Brooklyn. Sometimes all you want is a healthy, fresh, sophisticated meal with out all the hype and chaos that New York City often brings with its restaurant scene. The two hour wait just gets old sometimes, especially after a long day working for the benjamins. But more so, sometimes we want to feel like we're getting away - away from the chaos, away from the hustle and bustle of New York, and instead back in Italy where we hailed too many summers ago.
New York has a lot of great food. New York has a lot of bad food as well, and more importantly, bad Italian food (we're lookin' at you, Little Italy). Which is why, this gem we hold close to our hearts. It's the closest thing we've found to jumping on a plane and going to Italy for a great meal.
River Deli. Brooklyn Heights. Owned by Andrea Mocci and Giovanna Fadda - Sardinians relocated to Brooklyn. The menu features traditional Italian fare - Caprese, Bruschetta Mista, Tagliatelle al Ragu, or our personal favorite, Pappardelle ai Funghi (pappardelle with mixed mushrooms) and Cozze in umido (mussels in garlic and white wine). But believe us when we say, the real deal is in the specials, all favorite Sardinian recipes recreated here in Brooklyn for your staycation.
Just a few of the specials:
Macarronisi de Busa with Bottarga and Clams ("Bottarga is a typical Sardinian product, dried raw eggs of fish is called Sardinian gold taste is difficult cause quite strong of sea")
Branzino alla Vernaccia (branzino fillets cooked with Vernaccia wine and black Sardinian olives)
Fregola con le arselle (Traditional toasted Sardinian pasta cooked in fish broth, sauteed with clams and sun-dried tomatoes)
Pane Frattau (a very old Sardinian dish made with the typical Sardinian flat bread, pecorino cheese, tomato sauce, and poached eggs)
We adore this place.
When you're desperately feeling the need to escape - just walk to the end of Joralemon Street in Brooklyn, and let the food take care of the rest.
The menu (click for a larger, and therefore better view):
32 Joralemon St
(between I-278 & Columbia Pl)
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 254-9200
The phrase "flavored vodka" does not have many fans in the foodie world. For us, personally, the idea conjures up embarrassed recollections of the fizzy, saccharine drinks of our youth. Fortunately, our tastes have matured, and our vocabulary no longer contains the word "razz."
While we don't pine for those naïve times, we do long for a crisp, frosty vodka cocktail that is flavorful, yet doesn't require a shaker and a mess of ingredients to make.
The adorable Icelandic folks at Reyka Vodka have an answer for our parched palettes:
BITTERS.
We have been happily shaking all sorts of bitters into our Manhattans and Old Fashioneds, but it never occurred to us how delicious they would be sprinkled into the clear stuff.
Reyka is a lovely vodka choice for this - you'd be hard-pressed to find a cleaner, crisper option, and the first swig imparts subtle notes of hay and citrus. Small batches are produced by two meticulous gentleman, including Master Distiller Kristmar Olafsson, on a coveted Carter Head still and filtered through Icelandic lava rock. In short, these guys are intensely concerned with taste and quality.
We were told that Reyka is the "perfect delivery vehicle" for bitters, and after rigorous testing, we emphatically agree. In fact, the Icelanders teamed up with cocktail impresario Jason Rowan of Brooklyn Hemispherical Bitters to create some super small-batch (only 32 bottles!) Icelandic Bitters. We were lucky enough to taste an Icelandic Bitters and Reyka, and while we've never been to Iceland, we took a flavor trip there with a sip of fragrant thyme, moss, and Anjelica. So cool.
For a more accessible quencher, try sprinkling some juicy, earthy Brooklyn Hemispherical Rhubarb Bitters over your Reyka and ice.
Just when things were looking bleak, we think we found a way to get through the rest of this sweltering summer. The best part? Instead of saying "razz," we'll be saying, "Skál!"
Lord knows, we sure love us some foodmadewithbooze. Killing two birds with one stone is so much more tasty when those birds are dredged in a savory, spiked marinade.
We found ourselves at a backyard party in Brooklyn recently, huddled under a tent, oblivious to the monsoon-style rainstorm surrounding us because our mouths were stuffed with barbecue. Oh. My. Word. Those pulled-pork sandwiches! The tangy fried chicken! What weather?
Between bites, we located the sweet, tattooed hostess from Sailor Jerry. "Oh, the Spiced and Sweet BBQ Sauce? The recipe is on our website. We have a ton of them. Do you like it?"
To say the least.
Turns out, the Sailor Jerry blog is a virtual treasure trove of rum-soaked recipes. From soup to semifreddo, one could make a fantastic four-course meal using liberal splashes of the spicy quaff. They provide printable recipe cards adorned with sweet vintage tattoos, too, so you can fantasize that your old salty sea-dog uncle passed down that recipe for Bruschetta (one-eyed Uncle Petey sure loved his bruschetta!)
Rather than keep all of this goodness a secret, the Sailor Jerry team has commissioned a small, handsome fleet of gleaming Airstreams to spread the barbecue love to needy locals across the country. The Great American Road Trip in a shiny vintage Airstream plus barbecue plus unlimited rum? We're quitting our day jobs.
Keep your eyes peeled for a tatted-up trailer and a bevy of pin-up girls, and you may be lucky enough to find yourself washing down some boozy pulled pork with Jerry's take on the Dark and Stormy, "The Perfect Storm."
Don't be too surprised if you find yourself in the midst of one, as well.
News spread swiftly down the street - murmured rumblings of something BIG happening, something we've been awaiting for years, a monumental change in the world as we know it
That "rapture" last week may have been a bust, but we're pretty sure we've been transported to heaven. Because Sixpoint Craft Beer is now available in a can.
We'll give you a moment to swoon.
Until last week, the beloved Brooklyn brews have only been available on tap. Sixpoint began shipping packs of gorgeously designed 16 oz. cans to stores last week in a handful of favorite flavors: The Crisp Porter, Bengali Tiger IPA, Righteous Ale, and Sweet Action. Brooklyn 365 has an updated list of stores that carry it in NYC for those fortunate enough to live in the area.
Why cans instead of bottles? Brewmaster Shane Welch explained the choice to Serious Eats thusly:
"For one thing, the beer is filled to the top while the lid is stamped on under pressure, so the beer is generally fresher than in bottles where a pocket of air still exists. As a result, the dissolved oxygen levels which create stale flavors in bottled beer are usually in higher concentration in bottles versus cans. Additionally, cans are impenetrable to ambient light unlike clear or tinted glass bottles."
Sounds lovely to us.
A summer full of Sweet Action barbecues, Bengali Tiger beach parties, and Righteous rooftop cookouts?
Not long ago we visited the new Brooklyn spot Maison Premiere for a hit of Oysters and Absinthe. We normally will choose champagne to pair with our Oysters (really, what else does a girl need in the world?), but we welcome the change for a proper Absinthe drip.
Lets chat for a second about the drip. The center piece of the epic horseshoe bar is a green marble obelisk that slowly drips cold water over sugar to sweeten the absinthe that is a replica of a drip from the Olde Absinthe House in New Orleans. (More on the obelisk here.) Cold water drips over a cube of sugar that is placed on an absinthe spoon and slowly dissolves the sugar into the Absinthe. When the water to Absinthe ratio hits a certain point, the oils that are dissolved during distillation are emulsified, creating a creamy or cloudy effect, known as louche.
Maison Premiere has an impressive list of Absinthe varieties, new territory for this Gastro Girl, but it is good to know there is a place to go where one can learn. One is inspired to try every type of oyster and every type of Absinthe to up one's connoisseurship as quickly as possible (read, we'll be back Maison Premiere).
We chose the Frappé and ate the St Simon, Nootka Sound, Faloy Bay, Stellar Bay, and the Goosepoint varieties. All were delicious and briny, just how we like them. We were surprised how the Absinthe complimented the Oysters; the Anise, the combination of sweet and salty. Divine, we say.
Maison Premiere
298 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
347-335-0446
If you're craving an Absinthe cocktail and aren't within a stone's throw of Brooklyn or New Orleans, we've included a recipe from the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book:
Absinthe Frappé
2/3 Absinthe
1/6 Syrup of Anisette
Double quantity of water
Shake up long enough until the outside of the shaker is thoroughly covered with ice. Strain into a small tumbler.
What on Earth are we going to do with all of this Champagne, and all of these swords???
All joking aside, the culinary hub hosts a fantastic video series on their blog, with useful tips for casual cooks, as well as more ambitious feats for the Kitchen Ninja in all of us. No Champers or katanas at your disposal? Not to worry. Harry Rosenblum also demonstrates the technique with a sharp chef's knife, and on a bottle of Brooklyn Brewery Local 1.
Video below. Watch and get inspired to turn that after-work brew into a true celebration.
This was a new one for us. We hail from one of the great, accent-less states of the Western U.S., and being of indeterminate origin has always been a point of pride for us.
"Well, where are YOU from?" we countered to the twangy gentleman at the bar.
He grinned widely, took a sip of his beer, and replied, "North Cack-a-lackie!"
Lately, South Brooklyn has been suffused with so much country flavor, we've been wondering if the Mason-Dixon line migrated north. For a Gastro Girl, this trend has been a culinary windfall. Between Fort Defiance, Seersucker, and Buttermilk Channel, procuring a grits fix is as convenient as getting a bagel. Van Horn is the newest Dixie kid on the block, here to deliver that South to your mouth between two slices of bread.
Childhood friends - and native North Carolinians - Jacob Van Horn and Rick Hauchman opened the tiny, 30-seat shop in late January, and have already garnered a neighborhood following for their simple, delicious sandwiches, all made with local meat and vegetables. The B.L.P. - Bacon, Lettuce, Pimiento Cheese - is delicious enough on a fat Pullman loaf, but it would be a shame not to top off your meal with a side of Jalapeno Hush Puppies or Collard Greens.
Thirsty? Good thing - not only does Van Horn carry delicious local suds from Kelso and Six Point, but they also have a full liquor license and admirable bourbon selection.
We can't wait to go back to try the Brunswick Stew. Until then, we'll be working on our Southern drawl.
Our love of info-graphics is almost as well-documented as our obsession with all things food-related, and when the two intersect, we find ourselves positively smitten. You can imagine how bowled over we are, then, with this gorgeous poster bearing "The Splendiferous Array of Culinary Tools," from Brooklyn's own Pop Chart Lab.
Each implement is grouped into categories and sub-categories, with charming descriptions like, "Those That Contain," and "Those That Manipulate." Not only would this pretty poster look lovely next to our knife rack, it would remind us of all the foodie tools and gadgets that have been languishing on our wish-list for too long.
The best feature of the chart is something we imagine is best appreciated in person: it is printed with real copper ink, so it shimmers like a prized saucepan when the light hits it just so. We may not be able to afford the fancy copper cookware, but at $25, the poster is a food-obsessed aesthete's no-brainer.
For as long as we can remember, maple syrup has been the main squeeze for our pancakes. But we have a confession to make: we've been fooling around on that sappy standby.
The nice fellas down at Court Street Grocers introduced us to Wood's Boiled Cider, a condensed apple syrup out of Springfield, VT. The company has been pressing cider and producing the brew on the same machines since 1882, and the finished product remains deliciously free of any additional sweeteners or preservatives today. Drizzled over fluffy flapjacks, the Grocers told us, the cider is heavenly.
We bought a bottle on the spot.
Sure enough, Wood's Boiled Cider is a worthy companion for Sunday brunch, but the syrup has proven a versatile partner for Old Fashioneds, Hot Toddies, and homemade sodas, as well. The company website suggests you glaze your turkey and pork loin with Boiled Cider, too, and we're dying to try it - that is, if we don't run out of this golden elixir first.
Don't worry, maple - we still adore you. But all is fair in love and breakfast.
We heart NYC, but our beloved city still lacks a pleasure that other, lesser cities enjoy: Smashburger.
Until now.
The New York Times announced this week that come mid-April, we’ll be able to get our Smash fix at a new location in Ft Greene, at 80 DeKalb Avenue.
The spot is the first of three Smashburger locations to open in the next year, all of which will be in Brooklyn. In homage to the borough, you’ll be able to order a Brooklynburger, the details of which remain a mystery at the moment.
Our recommendation? Top that baby with fried McClure pickles as a shout-out to Williamsburg, My Friend’s Mustard to represent Greenpoint, and make it a meal deal by throwing in a Sixpoint Craft Ale, straight out of Red Hook.
Lately we've been drinking a lot of beer. Maybe because it's winter, or maybe it's because beer is delicious. We've been hitting up a lot of Dunkelweizen, Milk Stout, Black Wheat, and Black & Blues (Dark Side of the Moon) when we're out and about. For some reason, these types of brews remind us of milkshakes - and well - we like milkshakes.
Our new taste for the dark stuff may partly explain why we instantly fell in love with Freshthrills' design for Motorman Chocolate Lager, a promotional holiday gift they sent to their clients. The Brooklyn design firm bottled up the Chocolate Lager made by Kelso of Brooklyn, named it, packaged it in handsome wood boxes with an equally handsome stamp, designed coasters, gift tags - the whole shebang.
The name Motorman comes "the title of a trolley engineer and during the early 1900’s, people commonly rode trolleys to get around downtown Brooklyn. In a lot of ways, the Motorman is a perfect symbol of resourcefulness because they not only operated and maintained the trolley but also acted as the conductor. It’s fair to say they had a tough, but respectable job" (Freshthrills).
We're drinking the proverbial kool-aid: "Take your work ethic to the bottom of the glass".
Sure, no problem.
Ps. We love the black and white baker's string. Nice touch, Freshthrills, nice touch.
go enjoy a day in good company, these delicious pies, sources of ecstasy ... Regardless of whether savory or sweet, For me all are sources of intensity
- Boubazine Abdelhakim
This Sunday, get ready to get your pie on at the Fourth Annual Prospect Park "Pie in the Park" - a community pie tasting party - sort of the perfect event for the end of the summer. If last year's competition is any indicator what is to come this year, we're all in for a treat.
Follow your nose to the Tennis House South at the Southern part of the Long Meadow by the 9th Street entrance to Prospect Park.
Pie check-in is from 1-2 pm. Eating starts promptly at 2. They're expecting a lot of pies.
Winners will be named for Best Crust, Best Filling and Best Presentation. Last year's highlights included miniature lemon-curd basil crust pie pops, the "Rock of Love" amaretto cherry pie, and (wait for it, wait for it) a candied bacon pie with bacon ice cream.
We imagine that the writers of The Butcher Blog are burly urban woodsman types who know how to keep a girl warm at night (kind of like the plaid shirted hottie we saw so many years ago at the cheese counter of Stinky Brooklyn and have been thinking about ever since).
Since grilling season is gearing up, we caught up with the guys behind The Butcher Blog to get some practical tips on cooking in the urban environment.Now we’re just wondering when they’re inviting us over for some pork and Pork Slap…
Gastronomista: If you only have access to a fire escape, what do you need to cook well during grill season?
Butcher Blog: In New York City, you can legally grill as long as you have 10 feet clearance from the building. It is illegal to use propane on a terrace, roof or balcony, which suits us fine, since we firmly believe there should be a national law outlawing gas grills. You need charcoal, and a roof. If you only have a fire escape you need charcoal, a bucket with grill top, and a long pole.
G: What are the must-have tools?What grill?What charcoal?
BB: We're big Weber fans—simple, classic and easy to use. They have a bunch of different sizes too, so you can find one that fits your needs. A pair of long handled tongs are also essential. At no time should the classic BBQ fork get near your grill—piercing the sear is sacrilege and we die a little inside every time we see somebody wielding one of those things. A note about charcoal: Kingsford is not charcoal. Their reconstituted bricks don't get the job done and should always be avoided. We're big fans of Royal Oak (or any other natural wood charcoal) and we eschew the lighter fluid when possible in favor of a chimney. Also, you can spice things up a bit by grabbing some hickory wood chips, soaking them in water and throwing some on the hot coals just before cooking to get some nice smokiness going. Finally, if you're city grilling a fire extinguisher isn't a bad idea (and your neighbors will appreciate it too).
G: What cookbook should you use to guide you?
BB: Pork & Sons by Stéphane Reynaud has everything you need to prepare every part of the pig in every single way (from making your own sausage and terrines to barbecuing a whole suckling pig -- you'll need a Bushwick backyard and some cinderblocks for that one).
Editor's Note: We love this book. We actually were reading it once at the bar of a Brooklyn restaurant, and we very swiftly managed to pick up the Chef, who kept trotting out to the bar to chit chat. He was a smoothe operator... on seeing the book, he said, "If you like Pork and Sons, I need to loan you my charcuterie book... but I have to get your phone number as collaterol."
G: What are you listening to while you cook (and for that matter, eat)?
BB: The Mets game. Creedence. Skynrd. Beach House. Tom Waits. Sonic Youth. Wooden Shjips.
G: What should be on the menu, including beverages?
BB: That suckling pig sounds pretty good right now. You'll want to ask your butcher to reserve the liver and heart for you, which you chop with some smoked bacon and mix with fresh bread crumbs, eggs, olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs (sage, parsley, rosemary, whatever looks good), and stuff that in the pig. This takes about three hours on a spit, which means you'll have plenty of time to down some Pork Slap to keep it thematic (plus beer in cans in a necessity when cooking outdoors).
Baste the suckling pig with a mixture of white wine (get something drinkable because you'll use about 4 cups and finish the rest; it'll mix fine with the Pork Slap), olive oil and a few dabs of Dijon. When there is only about 20 minutes to half an hour left to go on the pig, wrap some corn ears (pull out as much of the silk as you can but do not husk; throw a pat of butter inside the husk) in foil and toss around the edges of the fire where they'll cook but not get flamed. Open another case of Pork Slap.
People!This is exciting!The team behind Brooklyn Flea has been tapped to curate the food selections at this summer's Central Park Summer Stage.This year, you’ll be able to get down with some serious street meat while you’re bopping to the beat. Such as…
A sampling of the best Mexican, Dominican, El Salvadoran, Colombian, Chilean and Guatemalan food in town from the Red Hook ball fields’ vendors!
Homemade coarse-ground pork sausages from Marlow & Daughters!So far, only five of the concerts have been announced, and predictably three are already sold out.Check back here in late April for the full schedule.
John Butler Trio
State Radio
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
From 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Central Park SummerStage
Doors: 5:30 PM
...
The Flaming Lips
Monday, July 26, 2010
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Central Park SummerStage
SOLD OUT!
...
The Black Keys
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
From 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Central Park SummerStage
SOLD OUT!
...
Hot Chip
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
From 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Central Park SummerStage
...
Pavement
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Central Park SummerStage
SOLD OUT!
To the Summer Stage planning committee, we say: please invite the Freelance Whales!Look at how great their Tiny Desk Concert is.They’re so cute, you could eat them.With a side of Brooklyn-authentic taquito!
Perhaps you saw our post about a month ago, A Knife for Life, a piece on Brooklyn knife maker Joel Bukiewicz of CUT Brooklyn. Mr Bukiewicz took time out of his weekend to give us a tour of his metal shop (us ladies, have a bit of a soft spot for sparks and men who know how to work metal).
We know that these knives photograph well, but let us tell you, these knives are absolutely breathtaking in person. The profiles are well shaped, not to mention the attention to detail, thickness of the blade, the taper of the blade, center of balance, and fit in the users hand are all considered. Each knife is a work of art unto itself - a step in a continuous design process of creating the ultimate knife.
Bukiewicz is relentless in his study of shape and material (he's currently testing Carpenter CTS Alloy Steel the XHP vs the CPM154 to be exact) and his knowledge of the techniques and details of the trade are impressive..his knives boast 62 Rockwell (hardness of steel to keep a blade sharp, ladies and gents) in comparison to 55 Rockwell of most standard kitchen knives.
Perhaps most importantly, he let us test drive his knives - and he sharpened our modest (and embarrassingly dull) knives - a true gentleman we have here. Sorry ladies, he's taken. And bad news for all of you looking to buy one of his masterpieces, get in line, he's got a year long waiting list.
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